Electric gas-lighter



(No Model.)

J. H. LEHMAN. Y

l ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER. No. 392,440. PatentedNov. 6, A1888.

UNITED vSTATES PATENT Grauen.

JOSEPH HUF'IYLEHMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC eAs-LieHTEa SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392.4410. dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed Dcccmberf20, 1SS7.` Serial No.258.-125. (No model.)

To all whom it may oncerm Be it known th at I, Josnrn Hurry LEHMA'N, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, v Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Gas-Lighters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric gas-lighting devices, and more Vparticularly to that class wherein the gas-regulating cock is turned and contact making and breakingdevices are operatedV to produce a spark at the burner-tip to ignite the gas, which cock and spark-produclng apparatus are usually controlled and operated by a lever; and my invention has for its object,primarily,to producea device vwhereby the spark apparatus will only operate when the cock is moved so as to permit the flow of the gas, and when the cock is moved for stopping the dow and extinguishing the flame the spark apparatus does not operate; and my invention consists, broadly, in a burner of the character specified wherein this result is attained, and more specifically in the combination f devices and modes of operation, as pointed out hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a burner embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a side view, partly in section. Fig.-3 is a perspective View Showing the operating pawl-and-ratchet devices, and Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are details showing the constructions of the various parts ofthe device.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention as applied to a gas-burner, 1, in which there is a tapering cock, 2, which regulates the flow of the gas to the burner,and this cock is secured in position by means of a washer, 3, and screw 2l, bearing upon the body portion of the burner. Mounted upon the other end of the cock, and preferably upon a reduced extension thereof, is a ratchet-wheel, 5,and this ratchet-wheel is secured to the cock, so as to rotate with it,in any desired manner. In the present instance one side of the extension is iattened and the ratchet-bearing is correspondingly shaped to fit said iiattened eX- tension. Loosely mounted upon said extension is a lever, 6, for operating the cock, having in its enlarged end suitable stops, 7 8, to limit the movementof the lever. Connected to and pivotally supported on said lever is a pawl, 9, the tooth 10 of which is adapted to engage with the teeth upon the ratchet-wheel to turn the same with a step-by-step motion, and the arrangement of the valve in the cock 2 is such that when the ratchet-wheel 5 is turned one notch it will open a passage for the gas through the cock, and when it is turned the next notch it will close the passage. Also loosely mounted upon the extension of the cock is an arm, 11, carrying at its end a spring-electrode, 12, which is adapted to make contact with the fixed electrode 13, secured to but insulated from the tipjof the burner in any wellknown way. This arm is also provided with suitable stops, 14 15, for limiting the movement thereof, and it is further provided with a notch, 16, into which the tooth 17, attachedv to the pawl 9,is adapted to engage and to cause the arm to vibrate,bringing the electrodes into contact to produce the spark at the proper time.

In this cla-ss of burners as usually constructed the moving electrode is operated at veach movement of the cock to make contact with the fixed electrode, and, as it is not only useless but an absolute disadvantage to operate the electrodes and produce a spark when the gas is turned off, I provide some suitable means whereby the cock may be operated to close the passage without operating, the moving electrode. While this result may be produced in several ways, I have shown in the drawings a simple construction, in which I make use of a 'shield or guard-piece, 18, which is Xed on the extension of the cock in any suitable manner, so as to rotate therewith, and I so construct this shield that at every alternate movement of the pawl 9 the tooth 17 is prevented from engaging with thenotch 16 of the moving arm 11, and to do this I provide the shield 18 with notches 19, corresponding with the alternate teethof the ratchet 5, so that when the tooth of the pawl engages with one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 5, which corresponds with the notch 19, the tooth 17 of the pawl will also engage with the notch 16 of the arm 11; but when the tooth 10 engages with one of the teeth of the pawl 5 intermediate the notches 19 the curved portion 20 of the shield lOO will prevent the pawl 17 engaging the notch 16, and the valve will be turned to close the passage of the gas without operating the electrode-carrying arm 11. In order to make the engagement of the pawl 10 with the ratchettceth 5 positive under all conditions, I preferably make each alternate tooth 2lA ol' the ratchet-wheel slightly longer than the intermediate teeth, 22.

In order that the arm 1l may be automatically returned to its normal position after the cock has been turned to allow the llow of the gas and the spark has been produced, I provide some sort of a spring attached to the arm which will return it without interfering with the operation of the other parts of the device, and I have shown a spring, 25, which is secured to the arm at a point, 26, and, passing around the device,the other end is secured to the stud 27 on the body of the burner; and, as it is necessary to provide a holding-pawl I'or the ratchet 5, Iutilize the end 2S of this spring for that purpose, so that the spring not only serves to restore the arm to its position, but also serves as a holding-pawl for the ratchet It is also desirable to provide the lever 6 with some sort of a spring device for returning it to its position, so that the pawl 9 carried thereby will engage with the next succeeding tooth; and I have shown for this purpose a spring, 30, one end of which is secured to a pin, 31, on the body of the burner and the other end is connected to the lever 6 at a point, 32, and the free end 33 of the spring 30 is cxtended so as to bear upon the tooth 17 of the pawl 9, and this spring thus serves the double purpose of returning the lever 6 to its normal position and insuring` the engagement of the pawl with the ratchet-wheel.

From the above description the operation of the device will be readily understood, and, assuming the gas to be turned ott', thelevcr 6 is operated by any suitable means, and the pawl 9 engaging by its tooth 1() with one of the teeth, as 22, of the ratchet-wheel, and its other tooth, 17, being in engagement with the notch 16 of the arm 11, the cock is turned so as to permit the llow of the gas, and at the same time the wiping-electrode 12 comes in contact with the fixed electrode 13, and a spark is produced the .instant ai'tcr the gas is allowed to llow. The instant the lever 6 begins to rcturn to its normal position the pawl 17 rides up upon the face 20 of the shield 1S and is withdrawn from the notch 16, and the arm 11, which is under the stress of the spring 25, immediately returns to its normal position, and as the lever 6 returns to its position the pawl 10 engages the next tooth 21 ol' the ratchetwheel 5 5 but the shield 18 prevents the pawl 17 engaging thc notch 16 of the arm 11. The parts remain in this position until it is dcsired to turn off the gas and extinguish the iiame, when upon again operating the lever 6 the pawl-tooth 1() returns the ratchet-wheel 5 to extinguish the gas, but the shield prevents the pawl 17 operating the arm 1l; but when the lever 6 is again returned to its normal position the notch 19 ol' the shield is opposite the notch 16 of the arm, and the pawl 17 is allowed to engage with the latter notch ready to move the arm 11 when the gas is again turned on. Ily this arrangement it will be perceived that the moving electrode is operated only when the gas is turned on to be lighted, and in dispensing with its operation. when the gas is turned 01T I am enabled to save one-halt the battery-power, as well as the wear and tear of the devices themselves.

Whilc I have thus described and illustrated one specific form of devices whereby this mode ol' operation may be carried out, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that my invention is not neccssarilylimited to the use ot'such devices, as they may be varied to a greater or less extent and other and equivalent devices may be used without departing from the principle of my invention.

XVhat I claim is- 1. An electric gas-lighter having a movable electrode adapted to be brought in contact with another electrode to create a spark at the burner-tip, a lever for moving the electrode, and connecting devices between the lever and the electrode, whereby the electrode is prevented from operating at each alternate movement of the lever, substantially as described.

2. An electric gas-lighter having a movable electrode adapted to create a spark at the burner-tip, a cock for regulating the low of the gas, a lever for operating the cock and the movable electrode, and devices for preventing the operation ofthe electrode except when the lever is moved to open the cock, substanA tially as described.

In an electric gas-lighting device, a moving electrode, a cock, a lever connected to operate the cock and open and close it at each movement, and devices interposed between the lever and electrode to prevent the operation ofthe electrode except when the cock is moved'to permit the llow of gas, substantially as described.

4. In an electric gas-lighter, the combination, with the cock, of a ratchet-wheel secured thereto, an electrode-carrying arm, a lever for operating the ratchet and arm, and a shield controlling the movements ofthe arin,substan tiall y as described.

5. In an electric gas-lighter, the combination,with the cock, of a ratchet secured thereto, an electrode-carrying arm, a lever carrying a double pawl for engaging with the ratchet and arm, and a shield to regulate the engagement of the pawl with the arm, substantially as described.

6. In an electric gas-lighting device, the combination,with the cock, of a ratchet-wheel, an electrodecarrying arm, a lever carrying a pawl engaging the ratchet and the arm, and a shield having notches corresponding to each alternate tooth of the ratchet, substantially as described.

'7. In an electric gas-lighting device, the

IIO

combinatiomwith the cock, of n ratchet secured thereto, an electrode-carrying arm supported on the eoelLaJ spring for returning the arm to its normal-position, and Valso serving as :t holding-paw] for the ratchet, a lever carrying a pawl for operating the ratchet and arm, and n spring for returning the lever to its normal position, and also serving to hold the pnwl in position, substantially as described.

8. In aml electric gas-lighting device, the combination, with the valve, of a ratchet'secured thereto, an electrodecarrying arm loosely mounted thereon, having a notch, as 

